Houston TV station helicopter crashes, 2 dead

HOUSTON– A pilot and television camera operator died Monday when their helicopter crashed on its way to cover a story.

HOUSTON– A pilot and television camera operator died Monday when their helicopter crashed on its way to cover a story. KTRK, an affiliate of ABC, reported Monday that the two were on their way to a shooting scene when the news station’s helicopter crashed in a wooded area near Conroe, on the northern edge of Houston’s suburbs. Local stations showed video of burning trees and a pile of debris made up of pieces of the helicopter. The station’s SkyEye logo was partially visible on one piece. Lt. Dan Norris, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, confirmed to CNN that the helicopter did belong to the TV station and that the two occupants were killed. KTRK spokesman Tom Ash said the station had no immediate comment. Norris did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press. AP______ Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.